"The world is bursting with life for these few days because the song with which I called it into life still hangs in the air and rumbles in the ground. It will not be so for long. But I cannot tell that to this old sinner, and I cannot comfort him either, he has made himself unable to hear my voice. If I spoke to him he would hear only growlings and roarings." Aslan from The Magicians Nephew, C.S. Lewis
Whatever you do...don't let this happen. Don't let your heart become so cold, embittered, or greedy for the fruit of this temporal realm, that you can no longer hear His voice...and it becomes growlings, roarings....undecipherable jibberish...white noise...clamorings in the distance, or worst of all...total silence. Don't let your souls be so swept up in and enamored with this dark world that the mysterious truth of your existence, the fantastic story of your secret journey, and the sanctity of your God-given mission is lost...desperately, hopelessly...lost.
Carol has an amazing gift. We've been married for almost 14 years. And during the course of these 14 years she has always been able to open the Word of God, start reading anywhere (in true Russian Roulette style) and make it come alive, pulling meaning from it instantly. With her, it really is like that scripture, "the Word of God will not return void". When she opens the book, she fully intends that it/He would speak to her...and it does! While others, including myself, will so often strive for something "fresh", she shows herself to be the little Johnny on the spot commentary guru! Countless times when I have been overwhelmed with the "affairs of this age" I have come to her and literally said, "give me a Bible study, read the Word to me". She then proceeds to open the book and speak words of life, thereby pulling me out of the "muck and mire" and restoring my eternal perspective.
Just this morning I woke up in a “funk" and had gone to the "dark side" of fruitless worry about things that are so temporal and have nothing to do with the Kingdom of God...which is why we're here, last time I checked!...It seemed I was trapped elsewhere. Soon I found myself in a deep discussion about who I am in Christ, what He is doing in my life right now, and what eternity has in store for us...oh, and it was mostly a one-sided conversation...the voice of the wise wife!!! Soon..."the joy of my salvation had been restored". Soon I was mysteriously, supernaturally delivered from the prison of my own thoughts and the enemy's lying clutches, and brought into the wonderful, eternal light of His truth and His presence! Oh, by the way, in the beginning of our conversation I had told her nothing of what I had been feeling that morning before she woke up.
I think we all need "mystical partners" in life, be it a spouse, friend, brother or sister in Christ. Those that know us…those that can speak truth and life into our spirits…those that can remind us of the "mystical journey" that we are on…those that travel with us and battle on our behalf…those that will battle to keep God's voice from becoming "growlings and roarings". Those that can help us step out of the mundane and re-engage the divine.
There must have been a reason Jesus sent his disciples out on their journeys two by two. It's true we have "authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy" but if “one will put 1,000 to flight and 2 will put 10,000 to flight” then how much more powerful we must be, warring together with our hearts united. Who doesn't love the story of David and Jonathan? Two friends knitted together in their hearts, determined to protect the welfare of each other, the nation of Israel, and the name of the Most High God! Who wouldn't want to have a "mystical partnership" like that?!?
I am writing this from an observatory in Mounds, Oklahoma. I'm here with my family participating with other families in an astronomy project. As I listen to the "expert" speak, and I gaze at the universe through high-powered telescopes, I am fascinated at how God has knitted this beautiful, infinite mass together...in perfect order...it just works together in a very specific manner. What would happen if the Earth shifted a few centimeters towards or away from the sun? Would it be destroyed?
Whatever you do...don't let this happen. Don't let your heart become so cold, embittered, or greedy for the fruit of this temporal realm, that you can no longer hear His voice...and it becomes growlings, roarings....undecipherable jibberish...white noise...clamorings in the distance, or worst of all...total silence. Don't let your souls be so swept up in and enamored with this dark world that the mysterious truth of your existence, the fantastic story of your secret journey, and the sanctity of your God-given mission is lost...desperately, hopelessly...lost.
Carol has an amazing gift. We've been married for almost 14 years. And during the course of these 14 years she has always been able to open the Word of God, start reading anywhere (in true Russian Roulette style) and make it come alive, pulling meaning from it instantly. With her, it really is like that scripture, "the Word of God will not return void". When she opens the book, she fully intends that it/He would speak to her...and it does! While others, including myself, will so often strive for something "fresh", she shows herself to be the little Johnny on the spot commentary guru! Countless times when I have been overwhelmed with the "affairs of this age" I have come to her and literally said, "give me a Bible study, read the Word to me". She then proceeds to open the book and speak words of life, thereby pulling me out of the "muck and mire" and restoring my eternal perspective.
Just this morning I woke up in a “funk" and had gone to the "dark side" of fruitless worry about things that are so temporal and have nothing to do with the Kingdom of God...which is why we're here, last time I checked!...It seemed I was trapped elsewhere. Soon I found myself in a deep discussion about who I am in Christ, what He is doing in my life right now, and what eternity has in store for us...oh, and it was mostly a one-sided conversation...the voice of the wise wife!!! Soon..."the joy of my salvation had been restored". Soon I was mysteriously, supernaturally delivered from the prison of my own thoughts and the enemy's lying clutches, and brought into the wonderful, eternal light of His truth and His presence! Oh, by the way, in the beginning of our conversation I had told her nothing of what I had been feeling that morning before she woke up.
I think we all need "mystical partners" in life, be it a spouse, friend, brother or sister in Christ. Those that know us…those that can speak truth and life into our spirits…those that can remind us of the "mystical journey" that we are on…those that travel with us and battle on our behalf…those that will battle to keep God's voice from becoming "growlings and roarings". Those that can help us step out of the mundane and re-engage the divine.
There must have been a reason Jesus sent his disciples out on their journeys two by two. It's true we have "authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy" but if “one will put 1,000 to flight and 2 will put 10,000 to flight” then how much more powerful we must be, warring together with our hearts united. Who doesn't love the story of David and Jonathan? Two friends knitted together in their hearts, determined to protect the welfare of each other, the nation of Israel, and the name of the Most High God! Who wouldn't want to have a "mystical partnership" like that?!?
I am writing this from an observatory in Mounds, Oklahoma. I'm here with my family participating with other families in an astronomy project. As I listen to the "expert" speak, and I gaze at the universe through high-powered telescopes, I am fascinated at how God has knitted this beautiful, infinite mass together...in perfect order...it just works together in a very specific manner. What would happen if the Earth shifted a few centimeters towards or away from the sun? Would it be destroyed?
The Church...the Body of Christ...the Remnant is intended to work together in a very specific manner. It always fascinates me how He brings us together and strategically places co-laborers in our lives to help us. He is indeed an “ever-present help in time of trouble” but I fully believe that it is our calling to engage in rescuing one another, building one another up, and battling together with our arms linked together in unity. God, our “ever-present help in time of trouble” has placed a “mystical partner” in your life. Find that person and press in and press on, together, towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus!
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